Advice on introducing 1 yr old to chunkier solids and finger foods?

Lyndsey - posted on 08/29/2010

My son just turned a year on the 27th and is eating solids. everything i eat and only has two teeth. He has been breastfed since birth and i started to try cereal at 4 months. He didnt like it so i waited another month or so and mixed it with some baby food fruit. He seemed to like it but did gag. i tried biter biscuis just to givve him a feel for having something solid and get the chewing motion down (be careful they are messy!) about 6 months when he cut his two teeth in addition to the fruit and cereal in the mornning, i tried small pieces of bread or pasta or mashed but a little chunky bananas. he like having something to bit on better than the purees and wasnt gagging anymore. I took it as he didnt like the texture...which i dont blame him for :). Needless to say i dont think it will affect your babies speech...i have never heard this. My son says uh-oh momma, dad, tells the dog "out", he will say "ma-na-na" if he wants a banana or just "na-na" if he is hungry or thirsty. He mostly just babbles all day long. Every child is different and i think yours will be just fine. Hang in there.

Kim - posted on 08/28/2010

I was worried about feeding my daughter solids because she only has two teeth. She too is a gager but I found that once I started to give her chunkier food such as banana slices that she could feed herself it helped with her gage reflex because it taught her to position the food in her mouth properly. Now she is eating those graduate granola bars no problem. Just start with soft solids and he should be fine.

Stacey - posted on 08/24/2010

Oh my goodness, you described my soon to be 1 year old to a T! At his 9 month visit the doctor said "if he's still not eating any solids by the time he comes back at 1 year, we'll have him checked" what that meant exactly I'm not sure. His appointment is the first week of September so if i find anything helpful I will be sure to pass it along. I know how frustrating it is, mine gags (and eventually vomits) on everything as well, even thicker stage 2 babyfood. :( good luck and you find any tricks please let me know as will i to you.

Candace - posted on 08/22/2010

My son is the same age and he eats cut up solids, such as cheese, crackers, soft veggies and fruit, etc. and he only has 3 teeth. He only says mamma and dadda too, but does a lot of baby talking. So, you have nothing to worry about. As for the gagging, my son started that as well, that's when I tried him with soft solids, he won't eat anything that I spoon feed him now, except, yogurt and some soups. Good luck!

Lisa - posted on 08/21/2010

I'm giving my daughter who will be 1 this coming week solid foods. I noticed that she would in a sense gag on food then realized she has been trying to swallow all at once. I started giving her even smaller amounts of food and when I give her pasta or veggies or anything that my husband and I are having I let her feed herself. It gets quite messy but she slows down and eats. Hope it helps.

Julie - posted on 08/21/2010

I agree with previous post, maybe you should try some other food. I have never heard that speech and not wanting to chew could be related? My dd is same age as your son and doesn't even say Mama - sometimes i think she knows I want her to say it but just refuses! She does say dada, daddy, other sounds. If she is tired she refuses to chew. I started with giving her one small piece of food (not on a spoon) like well cooked pasta or a small piece of biscuit, until she got used to the idea. hope that helps.

Stacey - posted on 08/20/2010

Each child is different in their own way, just because he doesn't like the thick foods doesn't mean that he will be behind on speech development. My older son talked late not until he was two. Everyone said I can't believe he doesn't talk yet and now he is three and a half and doesn't shut up. He is very intellegant. Maybe you are giving him foods that he doesn't like. I would try some yogurt or something, my youngest son loves that. They have banana and strawberries, he loves those. Don't ever let the things that people say make you worry that your son won't be able to do something just becaue he's not doing what they say he should. My son was born 8 weeks early and they told me that he would be small and behind in development. He is taller than all the kids his age and he isn't behind in anything. I know it's natural to worry but unless he's not gaining weight or eating anything at all it will all work out in the end.